Container security apparatus

• US 8,773,262 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyung Rim Choi, Moon Jun Bae
• Original Assignee: Hyun I.L. Cho, Young Sik Moon
• Inventors: Bae, Moon Jun, Choi, Hyung Rim, Bae, Chul Young, Kwark, Gwang Hoon, Cho, Hyun Il, Kim, Jae Joong, Lee, Jae Kee, Hong, Soon Goo, Kim, Chae Soo, Lee, Kangbae, Lee, Eun Kyu, Shin, Joong Jo, Son, Jung Rock, Moon, Young Sik, Kang, Moo Hong, Choi, Sung Pill
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/583,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20130000362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 340/542, 340/540
• US Class Current: 340/542
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/226 Displays on locks, e.g. LED or LCD screens on handles E05B1/0084; on keys E05B19/0088
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0097 including means for monitoring voltage, e.g. for indicating low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/00 Locks giving indication of authorised or unauthorised unlocking with key identification means E05B35/001; alarm locks E05B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 39/005 Locks with means for tracking the location of locked items, e.g. freight containers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/005 Chain-locks, cable-locks or padlocks with alarms
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 83/10 Rotary bars
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 19/186 with a pair of hooks, which are movable towards each other for grasping of an element on the wing, respectively on the frame, or for grasping of an element on each of the wings forming a double door
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5004 For antitheft signaling device on protected article

Abstract

The present invention relates to a container security apparatus which is easily attachable/detachable to/from both opening/closing bars of a container to sense whether the container is opened/closed and transmit the sensed information on whether the container is opened/closed to a remote location, to thereby check whether the container is sealed or not on a real time basis and thus safely transport the container, and to thereby check the current position of the container in transit and check whether or not the container has deviated from a predetermined path on a real time basis.

Claims

1. A container security apparatus comprising:

a main cover unit with a display part displaying a present state;

a main frame coupled with the main cover unit internally, comprising a first insertion part surrounding one of both opening/closing bars of a container, formed on one side thereof;

a first body unit coupled with the main frame internally, comprising a power-supply part with a built-in battery for supplying power stably mounted thereon; and

a sensing part comprising a guide groove formed penetrating thereinside, a plurality of coupling holes connected to the guide groove, into which a coupling element is inserted, and a sealing sensor whose one end is connected to the coupling element, sensing whether the container is opened or not;

a second body unit coupled with the first body unit internally, comprising an antenna part with a built-in antenna stably mounted thereon; and

a board part with a board stably mounted thereon, the board comprising a sealing module electrically connected to another end of the sealing sensor and transmitting the opening/closing information of the container according to a sensing signal of the sealing sensor, a global positioning system (GPS) module sensing a present location of the container in real-time and transmitting the location information, a communication module transmitting the opening/closing information and the location information to an administration server in real-time, and a control module transmitting the opening/closing information and the location information to the communication module and controlling the sealing module, the GPS module, and the communication module; and

a lock frame comprising a second insertion part surrounding another opening/closing bar of the container and fastened thereto, flat plates connected to both ends of the second insertion part in a single body, a detachable plate connected to one of the flat plates in a single body, with a plurality of detachable holes formed thereon corresponding to the coupling holes, and slidably inserted into the guide groove of the sensing part and coupled with the sensing part by a coupling element, and wire whose one end is connected to an input detachable hole of the detachable holes and other end is connected to an output detachable hole thereof,

wherein sealing maintenance information is transmitted when a current circulating the lock frame is input/output to/from the sealing module electrically connected to the sealing sensor, and

wherein the release information is transmitted when the lock frame is cut off and there is no current running therethrough.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock frame comprises a wire line formed thereinside, where the wire is inserted in and fastened thereto.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock frame comprises a wire groove formed thereinside, where the wire passes through and is fastened thereto.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lock frame is formed of stainless steel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the flat plates comprises:

a first flat plate connected between one end of the second insertion part and the detachable plate in a single body; and

a second flat plate connected to another end of the second insertion part in a single body,

wherein the wire is continuously formed from the detachable plate to the second flat plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, on inner circumferential surfaces of the input detachable hole and the output detachable hole, there are provided conductive elements, respectively, electrically connected to the coupling element.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication module is formed of one of code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA), wireless broadband Internet (WiBro), wireless fidelity (WiFi), and global system/standard for mobile communication (GSM) module.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the board further comprises a database (DB) module for storing container information such as a transfer path, a number, and a license plate number of the container.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the board further comprises a warning module generating and transmitting an alarm signal when the container is deviated from a transfer path thereof or sealing of the container is illegally released.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising, when the alarm signal is generated, function of resetting data stored when illegally opening the container, arbitrarily operating the container, or turning off the power of the container.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the warning module generates and transmits the alarm signal when a present charge capacity of the built-in battery is 25% or less of a maximum charge capacity thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the insertion part comprises:

a sub frame connected to one end of the main frame in a single body and surrounding the opening/closing bar;

a compression controller comprising a shaft whose both ends are fastened to the sub frame externally, a compression cam rotation on an axis of the shaft, and an opening/closing handle connected to the compression cam in a single body;

a tightening element installed inside the sub frame and transferred toward the opening/closing bar by a pressure applied by the compression cam;

a spring section installed on both sides of the shaft and connected from the outside of the sub frame to a top of the tightening element; and

a buffering element installed inside between the tightening element and the sub frame and relieving an impact with the opening/closing bar and improving a grip force.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the spring section comprises:

a plurality of vertical supporters whose one end is vertically connected to the tightening element;

a plurality of springs provided surrounding the outside of the vertical supporters; and

a spring stopper provided on other ends of the vertical supporters and connecting the plurality of vertical supporters.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein inside the second insertion part, there is provided a buffering element relieving an impact with the opening/closing bar and improving a grip force.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the buffering element is formed of a material capable of improving the grip force by strengthening a frictional force such as rubber.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power-supply part comprises a power-supply switch formed on one side thereof, the power-supply switch turned on when the lock frame is coupled with the sensing part and turned off when the lock frame is detached from the sensing part.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the power-supply part turns on the power when the lock frame is coupled with the sensing part and the opening/closing handle is pressurized and turns off the power when the lock frame is detached from the sensing part and the opening/closing handle is relieved.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the power-supply part comprises a battery port for electrically charging the built-in battery.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling element is formed of one of a pin, a bolt, and a switch.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the display part displays a state whether the power is turned on or off, a state of a residual amount of the battery, a communication state, and a sealed state.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main cover unit comprises a sub cover part covering the coupling element and preventing malfunction of the coupling element.